Africa-Press – Cape verde. Cape Verde will participate in the World Boxing Championships, from December 2nd to 13th, in Dubai, with five boxers selected by the IBA, in a delegation that includes two coaches and a manager, the federation announced today.
The Cape Verdean delegation includes boxers Lenik Fernandes (51 kg), David Pina, bronze medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (54 kg), Elizandro Silva (57 kg), Admilson Carvalho (63 kg) and Israel Nzeuwi (86 kg), chosen directly by the International Boxing Association (IBA) based on the minimum number of official fights required.
The president of the Cape Verdean Boxing Federation (FCB), Manuel Monteiro, explained to Inforpress that the criterion was exclusively technical.
“The selection was made by the IBA, based on the fight record (…) the minimum was twenty fights per athlete,” he indicated.
According to the official, the IBA covered most of the participation expenses, with complementary support from the Institute of Sport and Youth (IDJ), ensuring that participation occurs as far as possible given the available resources.
Monteiro stated that the main objective is “to achieve positive results,” emphasizing that the selected boxers have international experience and a relevant competitive history.
He also recalled Cape Verde’s trajectory in the sport, highlighting recent achievements in African and sub-regional competitions.
The official also considered that the country has demonstrated the capacity to compete at the highest level, given previous participations in the Olympic Games, African championships, and Zone II tournaments, as well as medals obtained in Sierra Leone and Senegal.
For the federation president, the presence in the World Cup can boost national interest in boxing and reinforce the recognition of the sport.
“I hope that this participation will awaken the attention of young people, authorities, and private entities to support boxing and allow boxing to cease being the poor relation of Cape Verdean sport,” he reiterated.
Regarding the post-World Cup period, Manuel Monteiro defended the need for a permanent national coach, capable of monitoring athletes on the islands, organizing training camps, and strengthening technical development throughout the country.
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